Introduction to Political Science
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Introduction to Political Science Professor Scott Williamson Fall 2021, Bocconi University e-mail: [email protected] Office hours: TBD Office: TBD Office room: TBD Class hours: TBD Class room: TBD Course Description What explains the rise of populism? How do authoritarian regimes hold onto power? Who opposes migration and why? When is the public more likely to hold political leaders accountable for poor governance? This course introduces the academic discipline of political science by exploring what its literatures have to say about these topics and others with substantive importance to global politics. We will read and discuss recent academic work utilizing a variety of methodological tools to answer these questions. In addition, the course is designed to help students navigate practical issues related to the effective conduct of political and social science research. We will review research practicalities ranging from choosing a research question to finding data and submitting articles to journals. Throughout the course, students will prepare a research proposal on a topic of their choice, which they will present to the class and submit in written format at the conclusion of the term. Course Objectives Throughout the course, students should expect: ▪ To develop knowledge about several major literatures in political science, gaining familiarity with ongoing debates and established findings. ▪ To acquire familiarity with a variety of primarily quantitative research methods used in political science and other social science disciplines. ▪ To develop understanding of how to consume and evaluate academic research, including how to recognize positive contributions, identify weaknesses, and provide constructive feedback in oral and written forms. ▪ To develop familiarity with practical aspects of the research process, including giving presentations, writing research articles, and submitting work for publication. ▪ To begin developing a research project that can be used as the basis of an academic article or as a component of the dissertation. Course Structure For each course session, students should complete the required readings and be prepared to discuss them in detail with their classmates. Discussions will focus on what we can learn from the work, what its weaknesses are, and what further research could do to build on it. In the last part of each session, we will discuss a practical research issue, for which optional readings are listed on the syllabus. Required Materials All readings will be made available online. Attendance Attendance in all sessions is mandatory, as students will gain most from the class by engaging in discussion about the materials. If a student needs to miss a class for any reason, please talk to me beforehand. Attendance and participation will be part of the course assessment. Assessments Attendance and Participation (10 percent) Participating in discussion each session is a core component of the course. As a result, students will be graded on attendance and participation. Full marks can be gained by attending each session and contributing to the class discussion; however, please note that you do not need to speak more than others to do well. If a student needs to miss a session, please speak with me beforehand. Review Memo of Required Reading (15 percent) Students must write one review memo about one of the required readings during the course. This memo should be approximately 1,000 words. It should be structured as follows: a brief introduction summarizing the reading’s research design and findings, a discussion of its strengths, and then a discussion of its weaknesses that includes suggestions for improvements. This assignment is intended to give students familiarity with writing journal reviews and providing constructive feedback to colleagues. Students should expect to lead the discussion of the article they review, which will be chosen during the first session of the course. Research Proposal (50 percent) The primary course assessment will be based on a research proposal to be submitted in the last session. This proposal is intended to provide students with the opportunity to begin developing a project that can be published as a journal article or included as part of the dissertation. Proposals should be between 10 and 12 pages in length (double-spaced, 12-point font), excluding references. They should be structured as follows: an introduction that clearly states a research question and explains why it is important, a literature review that identifies existing research and discusses its shortcomings, a theory section that proposes hypotheses, and a data section that discusses possible sources of data for the analysis. If students are able to collect preliminary data, they may include analysis, but this section is not required. Presentation of Proposal (25 percent) In the last session of the course, students will present their research proposals to the class. The presentations should range from 12 to 15 minutes and should cover each section of the proposal. This exercise is intended to provide students with practice preparing a conference-length presentation. Course Policies During Class Always be respectful of others, taking special care to keep discussions courteous and feedback constructive. Do not talk over others and pay attention to what they are saying. Do your best to contribute to a collaborative research environment. Academic Integrity and Honesty Students are required to comply with the university policy on academic integrity found in the Code of Academic Integrity for Bocconi Students. Accommodations for Diversity I am committed to a running a course that is free from all forms of discrimination based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age disability, or sexual orientations. If you feel uncomfortable at any point during the course, please feel free to reach out to me directly. In addition, any person who feels that they have been subjected to prohibited discrimination, harassment, or retaliation should contact the Student Ombudsman at [email protected]. Course Schedule November 3: Introducing Political Science (Required Readings) ▪ Theda Skocpol and Eric Schickler. 2019. “A Conversation with Theda Skocpol.” Annual Review of Political Science 22: 1-16. ▪ Robert A. Dahl and Margaret Levi. 2009. “A Conversation with Robert A. Dahl.” Annual Review of Political Science 12: 1-9. ▪ Kenneth Waltz and James Fearon. 2012. “A Conversation with Kenneth Waltz and James Fearon.” Annual Review of Political Science 15: 1-12. ▪ Hanna Pitkin and Nancy Rosenblum. 2015. “A Conversation with Hanna Pitkin.” Annual Review of Political Science 18: 1-10. Presenting and Reading Academic Work (Optional Readings) ▪ Sarah Knowles. 2015. “How to win at academic presentations: top tips on what to say and how to say it.” LSE Blogs. February 20. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2015/02/20/how-to-win-at-academic- presentations/ ▪ David T. Smith and Rob Salmond. 2011. “Verbal Sticks and Rhetorical Stones: Improving Conference Presentations in Political Science.” PS: Political Science and Politics 44 (3): 583-588. November 8: Populism and the Far Right (Required Readings) ▪ Italo Colantone and Piero Stanig. 2018. “Global Competition and Brexit.” American Political Science Review 112 (2): 201-218. ▪ Catherine E. De Vries and Sara B. Hobolt. 2020. Political Entrepreneurs: The Rise of Challenger Parties in Europe. Princeton University Press. Chapter 1. ▪ Vicente Valentim. 2021. “Parliamentary Representation and the Normalization of Radical Right Support.” Comparative Political Studies. ▪ Kerim Can Kavakli. 2020. “Populist Governments and Democratic Backsliding during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Working Paper. Finding a Research Question (Optional Readings) ▪ Barbara Geddes. 2003. Paradigms and Sand Castles: Theory Building and Research Design in Comparative Politics. University of Michigan Press. Chapter 2: Big Questions, Little Answers: How the Questions You Choose Affect the Answers You Get. ▪ Tom Pepinsky. 2019. “On Puzzles and Political Science.” February 7. https://tompepinsky.com/2019/02/07/on-puzzles-and-political-science/. November 10: Migration (Required Readings) ▪ Ala’ Alrababa’h, Andrea Dillon, Scott Williamson, Jens Hainmueller, Dominik Hangartner, and Jeremy Weinstein. 2021. “Attitudes toward migrants in a highly impacted economy: Evidence from the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan.” Comparative Political Studies 54 (1): 33-76. ▪ Vasiliki Fouka. 2019. “How Do Immigrants Respond to Discrimination? The Case of Germans in the US During World War I.” American Political Science Review 113 (2): 405-422. ▪ Rafaela M. Dancygier. 2010. Immigration and Conflict in Europe. Cambridge University Press. Introduction. ▪ Ala’ Alrababa’h, Daniel Masterson, Marine Casalis, Dominik Hangartner, and Jeremy Weinstein. 2020. “The Dynamics of Refugee Return: Syrian Refugees and Their Migration Intentions.” Working Paper. Writing an Academic Paper (Optional Readings) ▪ Andrew T. Little. 2016. “Three Templates for Introductions to Political Science Articles.” February. http://www.andrewtlittle.com/papers/little_intros.pdf. November 15: Identity (Required Readings) ▪ Patrick J. Egan. 2019. “Identity as Dependent Variable: How Americans Shift Their Identities to Align with Their Politics.” American Journal of Political Science 64 (3): 699-716. ▪ Hakeem Jefferson, Fabian Neuner, and Josh Pasek. 2020. “Seeing Blue in Black and White: Race and Perceptions of Officer-Involved Shootings.” Perspectives